10 stunning coast walks for autumn

Is there anything that can banish a bad mood (or a hangover) better than a life-affirming yomp over blustering headland? Then oh - that hidden cove, or a stretch of empty sands that opens out on the other side of it! Clare Gogerty takes 10 of her favourites from her book, The National Trust Book of the Coast: From Lindisfarne to the Lizard, along with tips on where to eat, drink and stay.

Whistling Sands, Porthor, Llyn Peninsula, North Wales

This remote beach is so-named because of the squeak or whistle the sand makes underfoot, caused, it is said, by the uncommonly well-rounded and spherical shape of the grains. Stamp or slide your feet on dry sections of shore to get the best effect. The area is also a great place for rock pooling and seal- and dolphin-spotting. Stroll along the Coast Path towards the two islets of Dinas Mawr and Dinas Bach, both of which were fortified during the Iron Age. There is also a National Trust café housed in a former coal shed - a relic of Porthor's past incarnation as a busy port.

Advertisement

Drink at: The Ty Coch Inn, in the tiny, traffic-free hamlet of Porthdinllaen situated smack on the beach, which is owned by the National Trust. Porthdinllaen, Morfa Nefyn, Gwynnedd (+44 1758 720498; www.tycoch.co.uk)

Morte Point, Devon

Morte Point, Devon

David Norton

Read next

Santa Gertrudis: Ibiza's loveliest village

Most of the coastline between Ilfracombe and Woolacombe is owned by the National Trust and as a result is largely undeveloped. Beyond the lighthouse at Morte Point with its treacherous rocks and shingle coves lies mile-upon-mile of mind-clearing, expansive sand. Three fine beaches - Saunton Sands, Croyde Bay and Woolacombe Beach - are where dogs run free, sandcastles are built, windbreaks protect sunbathers, and surfers spend the day waiting for the right wave. So much space means that the beaches rarely seem crowded or noisy - the only sounds to be heard outside the summer months are the boom of the Atlantic Ocean and the squawk of gulls.

Stay at: The Hamptons Hotel, a Victorian villa on a hill in Ilfracombe that overlooks the sea. Each of the seven rooms is furnished lavishly by owner and interior designer Janine Powell. Torrs Park, Ifracombe (+44 1271 864246; www.thehamptonshotel.com)

Seacombe Cliff, Purbeck, Dorset

Seacombe Cliff, Dorset

Joe Cornish

Advertisement

Part of the geologically fascinating Jurassic Coast, the base of the sandstone cliffs at Seacombe have been eroded by the action of the sea, so that any overhang collapses and creates low-level wave-cut platforms. The cliffs have also decreased in size due to the fact that quarrymen, in the past, used to remove chunks of the cliff face for use in construction. As you walk, keep your eyes open for fossils, best spotted early in the morning or after an overnight storm.

Drink at: The Square and Compass, an alehouse since 1776 and loved for its unchanging and eccentric character, selection of ciders and beers, sea views and live music. Worth Matravers, Swanage, Dorset (+44 1929 439229; www.squareandcompasspub.co.uk)

Read next

Connemara: Ireland's wildly romantic region

Hemmick Beach, Cornwall

Hemmick Beach, Cornwall

Blessed with warm seas, mild temperatures and vast, sandy beaches, the long peninsula of Cornwall has attracted holidaymakers since the railways first brought them in early Victorian times. The long strips of sand and rolling waves attract surfers who ride the curl of the sea whipped up by winds that once drove the ships on to the treacherous rocks, reefs and stacks that line much of the county. In particular, it is well worth the journey Hemmick Beach near Veryan - you'll need to drive along narrow country lanes and down a steep road to a small car park, and then it's a 10-minute walk. A little-visited spot, it has a stretch of golden sand, and rocky coves to shelter and picnic in. Plus dogs are allowed all year.

Advertisement

Stay at:The Lugger, Portloe, in one of the crisply decorated 23 bedrooms situated metres from the harbour. It also has a sun-baked terrace that overlooks the sea. Portloe, Truro, Cornwall (+44 8431 787155; www.luggerhotel.co.uk)

Stiffkey Marshes, Near Morston, Norfolk

Stiffkey Marshes, Norfolk

Rod Edwards

Stiffkey Marshes are a vast expanse of saltmarsh, creeks and muddy basins which can be reached by foot on the Norfolk Coast Path as it wends its way to Wells-Next-the-Sea. It is the perfect location to see a wide range of wading birds and wintering fowl as well as sea lavender, which cloaks the marshes in late summer. The Norfolk Coast Path passes along its perimeter, where you can enjoy the birdlife and wonderful wide-open vistas.

St Anthony Head, Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall

St Anthony Head, Cornwall

Joe Cornish

The St Anthony Lighthouse lies at the southernmost tip of the Roseland Peninsula, an unspoilt headland perfect for walking and for views across the Fal Estuary (the South West Coast Path passes along here). The lighthouse guards the entrance to the natural harbour of Falmouth and was built to keep boats safe from the Manacles rock. Its old officers' quarters are now converted into holiday cottages. Nearby are two sandy beaches: Great Molunan and Little Molunan. The latter is an ideal place to hunker down and spot shags, fulmars and grey seals.

The Gobbins, Islandmagee, Northern Ireland

Read next

Brilliant British hotels for weekend breaks

Running parallel with the coast between Larne and Whitehead, Islandmagee is a sparsely populated peninsula packed with natural wonders. Foremost of these is the Gobbins, a series of limestone cliffs that reach more than 60 metres high and stretch for four miles overlooking the North Sea. They were a popular destination during Victorian times when a cliff path was cut through the rock. A sequence of suspended walkways and bridges, built by entrepreneur Berkeley Deane Wise in 1902, has been rebuilt in pre-fabricated steel by Larne Council and opened in summer 2015, making it Northern Ireland's newest tourist attraction.

Stay at: Islandmagee is remote with little to offer in terms of pubs and hotels. It's best to base yourself in Belfast. Try The Merchant Hotel, an opulent contrast to the wilds of the coast. 16 Skipper Street, Belfast (+44 28 9023 4888; www.themerchanthotel.com)

Ventnor Downs, Isle of Wight

Ventnor Downs, Isle of Wight

Joe Cornish

Rising above Ventnor to 241m, the south-facing slopes of the Downs are the Isle of Wight's highest point and offer a flower- and butterfly-rich grassland with sweeping views. You may also spot Old English goats introduced by the National Trust to keep the invasive (and butterfly-deterring) holm oak, introduced from the Mediterranean by plant-hunting Victorians, at bay. New turf has since established and the number of butterflies which rely on these chalk-loving plants has increased, such as the Adonis blue.

Read next

Roman Coppola's tips for Napa Valley, California

Staithes, Yorkshire

Staithes, Yorkshire

Joe Cornish

Artists have always been drawn to the picturesque village of Staithes, a tumble of red-brick houses tucked behind the headland of Cowbar Nab and overlooking a suitably scenic mile-long stretch of sand. In 1894, inspired by the work of the French Impressionists, a group of artists moved to the village, creating an art colony. Their influence lives on during the Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage every September, when visitors can drop in at more than 100 private cottages, as the owners open their doors and turn them into temporary art galleries.

Eat at: Endeavour Restaurant, a restaurant with rooms on a cobbled street close to the harbour serving freshly caught lobster and scallops. 1 High Street, Staithes (+44 1947 841029; www.endeavour-restaurant.co.uk)

Whiteford Burrows, llanmadoc, Gower, South Wales

Whiteford Burrows, South Wales

David Norton

The dune system behind Whiteford Sands is a National Nature Reserve and rich with flora, insects and wading birds. The dunes join the extensive saltmarsh of Llanrhidian Marsh and the freshwater marsh of Cwm Ivy Marsh, a constantly shifting landscape, and are a lovely place to wander and daydream. The two are currently separated by a medieval sea wall, which is leaking badly. So the embankment is being converted into a causeway, allowing the tide in to create a huge new area of saltmarsh, one of the biggest coastal realignment projects in Wales.

Read next

10 of the best restaurants in Kent

Stay at:Fairyhill Hotel and Restaurant, a handsome manor house with a decent restaurant in the heart of the Gower, a short drive from Whiteford Burrows. It also has a well-appointed spa and therapy rooms. Reynoldstone, Gower (+44 1792 390139; www.fairyhill.net)

'The National Trust Book of the Coast: From Lindisfarne to the Lizard' by Clare Gogerty is available from The National Trust Shop, priced at £20